Is a Dog Haus franchisee required to use a licensed architect for space plan layouts?
Dog_Haus Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ed exclude any special connection and/or tap fees, EDD or sales taxes, which are based on projected sales.
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- These estimates include costs for space plan layout, design, architectural, kitchen, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and related drawings, engineering, testing, permit expediter, and city permits and fees. You must use a licensed architect approved by us to prepare plans for your Franchised Restaurant. We recommend that you use our architect. If you choose to use a different architect, he or she must be licensed and approved by us and you must pay a $1,500 plan review fee directly to our architect. These estimates also
Source: Item 7 — ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT (FDD pages 22–31)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to Dog Haus's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to use a licensed architect approved by Dog Haus to prepare plans for their franchised restaurant. Dog Haus recommends using their architect. However, if a franchisee chooses a different architect, that architect must be licensed and approved by Dog Haus.
Using an architect not recommended by Dog Haus incurs an additional cost. The franchisee must pay a $1,500 plan review fee directly to Dog Haus's architect. This fee covers the review of the plans submitted by the franchisee's chosen architect to ensure they meet Dog Haus's standards and specifications.
The estimated initial investment for pre-construction costs, including architect fees, project manager fees, plans, and permits, ranges from $45,000 to $85,000. This range highlights the potential financial impact of architectural services on the overall startup costs for a Dog Haus franchise. Therefore, franchisees should carefully consider their choice of architect and factor in the plan review fee if they opt for an architect other than the one recommended by Dog Haus.